No sports bra should celebrate its birthday

Whether it’s bright prints, clashing colours, stylish cuts or unusual fabrics, cool sportswear has never been hotter. But, while we’re spending time and effort on how we look, you might be forgetting the importance of making sure you’re also fully kitted out underneath all that snazzy gear.

According to Moving Comfort, one in three women are embarrassed by breast bounce when they exercise, which hinders their enjoyment of being active. And wearing a good sports bra is about way more than just comfort. While getting your sweat on, a good sports bra helps prevent irreversible damage that can lead to sagging breast tissue. Simply investing in a great-fitting, quality sports bra can minimise this damage!

The world of sports bras can be a confusing one – a University of Portsmouth study suggests one in five women are put off exercise because of their breasts and not being able to find the right sports bra. Luckily, we’ve got the expert lowdown from Moving Comfort to ensure you get the best workout and move with confidence…

RETAIL THERAPY

So how often should you buy a new sports bra? Depending on how frequently you wear and wash your sports bra, it should be replaced every six to twelve months. If it doesn’t feel as supportive as it once was, or is showing signs of wear, it’s a good idea to consider buying a new one.

THE RULE OF THREE

Are you a yoga fan, a keen runner or maybe both? If you only own one faithful sports bra, it might not be doing the job. Different activities call for different bras – for instance, you’ll need a more supportive design for high-impact activity such as running. Follow the rule of three and have a bra you can wear, one you can wash and one waiting to go for your next workout.

FIND THAT SUPPORT

Ten different women will define ‘supportive’ in ten different ways. Moving Comfort has created a system that accounts for all four aspects of a well-crafted sports bra – comfort, fit, support and style! This means you can find a sports bra for whatever your needs in their three collections:

Secure: Body Hug – slips on easily and moves effortlessly with the body. A good match for yoga and gym training. Bra example: Switch It Up Racer.

Stabilise: Perfect Balance – offers a great mix of features with a high degree of support. A great all-round option for a wide variety of activities. Bra example: Fiona.

Once you’ve determined the best Moving Comfort category for your body and needs, you can choose from a selection of bras.

PERFECT FIT

So what should you look out for in a good bra? Follow these four steps from Moving Comfort to find a perfect fit.

1. Start with the band of the bra. It should be as snug as possible – more so than your regular bra – but still comfortable.

2. Next, your breasts should be contained completely in the cups. Are your breasts spilling out? Then the bra could be too small. Any wrinkles or puckers in the bras and straps could indicate it’s too big.

3. If it’s an underwired bra, it should sit on your ribcage below the breast tissue and comfortably flat against the breastbone. Is it gaping in the centre? You might need to go up a cup size!

4. Now for the straps. They should not slide or dig into your shoulders. If you feel most of the support is coming from your straps, you may need a smaller band size.

From June 2015, Moving Comfort is to become the Brooks Moving Comfort collection. For more information, call Moving Comfort on 01903 817009 or go to Twitter @MovingComfortUK